A top federal agency is reportedly seeking more funding from Congress behind closed doors, according to a new Axios report, as it tries to address the financial strain caused by President Donald Trump's war with Iran.

Axios reported that the Pentagon is pressing for a "massive boost in military funds" in a future spending bill, beyond the current measure being negotiated by Congress, which the outlet described as "Reconciliation 3.0." Under the budget reconciliation process, fiscal legislation can pass the Senate with a simple majority rather than the 60 votes typically needed to overcome a filibuster, making such bills a primary vehicle for major spending changes. The request is said to be larger than the $67 billion in funding included in the House version of the current reconciliation package, which has the White House's backing. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reportedly been making the case for additional money in private meetings.

"Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and several undersecretaries gave Republican members of key Senate committees a detailed, closed-door briefing Tuesday morning, according to two sources familiar with the meeting," Axios reported. "The officials gave an around-the-world threat analysis, laying out for senators how the U.S. stacks up against key adversaries — with an emphasis on China, the sources said. Officials showed 'candor' on U.S. munitions stockpiles amid the conflict with Iran, and provided 'a level of detail that the committees have been seeking,' as one source described it."

The push for more funding comes amid widely reported depletion of the military's munitions stockpiles, driven by Trump's war against Iran, which has lasted much longer than initially promised and has no clear end in sight. Because Congress holds the power of the purse under the Constitution, the Pentagon cannot redirect funding at that scale without legislative approval. Hegseth and other defense officials have also reportedly been emphasizing China as a major future threat.

"The administration's case goes beyond replenishing weapons depleted by the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine," Axios explained. "Officials are also sounding alarms about the need to invest in artificial intelligence now as China advances."

The meeting on Tuesday reportedly took place in a secure setting and included discussion of classified materials. Democrats on the relevant committees were not invited. The Daily Beast reported that Hegseth "has routinely excluded Democratic lawmakers from updates on the war..."

"Trump, 80, has failed to stick to any timeline for an end to the conflict he started in February," The Daily Beast reported. "He's occasionally said the war is 'already over' and, at other times, that it could last 'forever.' A temporary ceasefire he signed in June lasted just 21 days before peace talks fell apart. Washington and Tehran have returned to bombing one another with gusto in the weeks since."